A statue of world champion boxer stolen from park has shocked the local community after a bronze statue of Teddy Baldock was stolen from Langdon Park in Poplar, east London. The theft took place on Sunday evening.
World Champion Boxer Statue Stolen: CCTV Captures Brazen Theft in Langdon Park
The CCTV footage reveals that the four suspects, dressed in black, forcibly removed the statue from its pedestal and then transported it away using a cargo bike. The only items left behind were the bronze boots of the statue.
The police were notified about the missing statue at 8:00 pm GMT, and the last seen direction of the suspects was towards Bromley-by-Bow Underground station, heading north.
Who Was Teddy Baldock? A Local Sporting Legend
Teddy Baldock (“the Pride of Poplar”) was born in 1907 and became a boxing legend. Teddy made history in 1927 when he became the youngest person in the United Kingdom to become a world boxing champion when at only 19 years of age won the bantamweight title.
Teddy Baldock was the most popular boxer in Britain through the 1920’s and was known for his quickness, technical ability, and thrilling boxing style.
Family Expresses Anger and Heartbreak
Martin Sax, the grandson of Baldock, who was instrumental in raising funds for the statue, was very disappointed with the theft.
“I got a phone call asking if I’d heard it had gone, and then it was confirmed,” he said.
“I’m angry, upset, and gutted. It took so much effort to raise the money, and to think it may have been taken just for scrap is devastating.”
Sax also mentioned that Baldock came from humble beginnings and was puzzled by the reason for stealing a statue that was to commemorate history.
A Tragic End to a Historic Career
Although he had achieved success early on in his career, Teddy Baldock’s life was cut short because of injuries. After a short retirement, he lived in poverty and died in 1971 with little recognition during his latter years. The statue, erected in 2014, aimed to restore his reputation and honor his contribution to boxing in Britain and the Poplar area.
Police Appeal for Public Assistance
Detective Superintendent Oliver Richter of Tower Hamlets neighbourhood policing said that the incident is “deeply distressing” for the community.
He said that the police are “working at pace” to try to identify the individuals responsible for the attack and encouraged people to come forward if they have any information.
Community Calls for Justice and Restoration
The Teddy Baldock statue theft has brought back to the fore discussions on how public statues can be protected. The community is now hoping for the statue’s return and better protection for community statues.
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